Denmark Changes Coat of Arms Amid Donald Trump's Push to Buy Greenland

Denmark's King Frederik X has shocked some historians by changing the royal coat of arms to more prominently feature Greenland and the Faroe Islands – in what has also been seen as a rebuke to US president-elect Donald Trump. 

 

If you weren't aware, Trump has expressed keen interest to buy Greenland. [Kindly read my posts "Donald Trump Eyes Real-estate Purchase" and "Greenland Again Tells Donald Trump It Is Not For Sale", published August 21, 2019 and December 24, 2024 respectively].

 

To many, it is a clear statement of intent to keep the autonomous Danish territory and former colony within the kingdom of Denmark. 

 

For 500 years, previous Danish royal coats of arms have featured three crowns, the symbol of the Kalmar Union between Denmark, Norway and Sweden, which was led from Denmark between 1397 and 1523. They are also an important symbol of its neighbor Sweden. 

 

But in the updated version, the crowns have been removed and replaced with a more prominent polar bear and ram than previously, to symbolise Greenland and the Faroe Islands respectively. The move comes at a time of increased tension over Greenland and its relations with Denmark, which continues to control its foreign and security policy. 

 

In Greenlandic prime minister, Múte Egede’s own new year’s address, he accelerated calls for Greenlandic independence and called for the “shackles of the colonial era” to be removed. 

 

Trump (right) repeated his interest on Monday, writing on his Truth Social website: "Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation. We will protect it and cherish it".

 

He even shared a video featuring a Greenlander wearing a MAGA hat, who responded to a woman's question about what he would say to Trump with, "Buy us. Buy Greenland".

 

This new push comes just weeks after Trump’s previous statement that US control of Greenland was crucial for national security and global freedom. The remarks, which had drawn international attention, were met with firm opposition from Greenland’s leadership.

 

In the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final yesterday, Tottenham overcame Liverpool 1-0. 

 

Liverpool will feel they were unlucky as a player who perhaps shouldn’t have been on the pitch scored the only goal of the game to give Spurs the advantage from the first leg. It was a rare loss for the Reds in controversial circumstances – but it is what it is.

 

The next cup game comes in just three days’ time, but that one is against League Two’s Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup third round. 

 

The second leg of this semi-final is some way off – almost a month away – so there might have to be some reminders of the score from this forgettable game come February.